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The ex-Gulls striker condemned his former club to a seventh defeat in 10

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by David Byrom

23:07, 12 Sep 2017

Luke Young looks frustrated as Torquay United go 2-1 down against Bromley(Image: Pinnacle)

Former Gulls striker Brett Williams destroyed Torquay United with a brilliant hat-trick at Hayes Lane last night, condemning the managerless Plainmoor club to a seventh defeat in the first ten games of the season.

Williams, the leading scorer released by United at the end of last season after his goals had kept them in the National League, struck first with a fierce shot in the 20th minute.

Even though Jon-Paul Pittman equalised with his third goal of the season only four minutes later, Williams - it just had to be him, didn't it? pounced with an opportunist header just before the hour-mark and then finished United off with a coolly-taken counter-attack effort two minutes from time.

It was a telling and painful way for Williams to punish Torquay for their decision to let him go.

Unired, still bottom of the table, are expected to announce a successor to sacked boss Kevin Nicholson within the next 24 hours, bringing an end to a month under caretaker Robbie Herrera.

Herrera made two changes, one in defence and one in attack.

Out went centre-back Josh Gowling, apparently rested on Bromley's all-weather pitch, and Ruairi Keating up front. In came Norwich City loanee Michee Efete for his senior debut at the back and also Jon-Paul Pittman to partner striker James Gray.

Efete's promotion meant that five members of United's starting XI were either on-loan or non-contract players, with a sixth, Rory Fallon, on the bench.

Bromley manager Neil Smith started with two ex-Gulls, Williams and Josh Rees, and also had ex-United winger Iffy Allen among his subs.

United showed some promise in attack, but yet another new-look defence - Efete was Sean McGinty's fourth centre-back partner this season - always looked vulnerable.

In the eighth minute Ben Chorley was unmarked when he headed a Frankie Sutherland corner wide.

Rain drifted in, with a breeze behind United to boot, and home goalkeeper David Gregory had to punch a Luke Young free-kick off Pittman's head before Bromley took the lead in the 20th minute.

Williams turned smartly on a Sutherland through-ball, got the run on Cole and finished with a rasping angled right-foot shot into the roof of the net from 12 yards…1-0.

But only four minutes later United equalised, with a well-worked goal.

Ryan Higgins found Reid beyond the far-post, Reid stretched to hook the ball over Gregory and Pittman rose to send an athletic header over the line from six yards…1-1.

United could not keep the home attack in check and, moments after Pittman's goal, Vincent Dorel had to pull off a smart low save to deny Williams, who kept escaping the Torquay marking.

Bromley also had penalty appeals turned down by referee Alan Dale, after Louis Dennis went down under a challenge from Cole.

With the wind behind, United sent several long balls beyond their forwards on the bouncy all-weather pitch, while Dorel was the busier goalie, making two more excellent saves from Dennis and Williams in the space of a few minutes around the half-hour mark.

But in the run-up to half-time it was United who suddenly appeared to get to grips with the game and the surface.

A Jack Hollands mistake let Pittman in for a shot saved, before Jamie Reid beat two men in a run down the left, crossing low for James Gray to flick the ball wide at the near-post.

But just before the interval that United defence gave up another good chance - Higgins conceded a corner clumsily, Sutherland took the flag-kick from Bromley's left and Hollands rose above Dorel and everyone else to head wide at the far-post.

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The home side had to make a change at half-time, Dan Johnson replacing Chorley in defence.

For once, United restarted well, forcing Bromley back even though the weather was now in their faces.

Pittman had a shot on the turn deflected behind, and Efete then headed Young's corner wide when he should have hit the target.

Then Haworth had a shot wide off a defender, before Young took a short corner, got the return off Haworth and curled a 25-yard shot not far wide.

But United were then the architects of their own downfall when they turned possession on halfway into a corner at their own end in the 58th minute.

They only half-cleared Sutherland's flag-kick from Bromley's right, Efete was pulled out of position as the ball reached Wanadio on the left, he crossed from the bye-line and Williams leaped to head home from close-range…2-1.

It was a soft goal to give away, especially after a spell on top of the opposition.

Herrera soon sent on Keating for Pittman, who didn't look injured but might have been carrying a knock.

Pittman had looked United's most dangerous forward.

Bromley's confidence had been given a lift by that second goal, while United seemed to reel from it.

Dorel had to tip a Wanadio shot round his left-hand post, and more hesitant or half-hearted defending allowed Mekki and Williams to get shots away when they should have been closed down.

United's travelling fans continued to give great support, and in the 74th minute Herrera sent on Fallon for Haworth.

United went to 4-3-3, with Gray dropping into midfield and Keating, Fallon and Reid up front.

Keating missed a great chance to level again, volleying wide on a cross-shot by Fallon.

But, although Keating and Reid both went close in the closing-stages, Williams had the last word, seizing on a breakaway through-ball against an overstretched Torquay defence before drilling a right-foot shot low past Dorel's right hand.